Department for Exiting the European Union

UK Withdrawal from EU

Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether holding a second referendum is an essential constitutional precondition to invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Lord Bridges of Headley: Article 50 explicitly recognises that a Member State may decide to withdraw “in accordance with its own constitutional requirements”. It is for the Member State concerned to determine what those constitutional requirements are. The Government does not consider that a second referendum is necessary, or required to invoke Article 50.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their position that leaving the EU is in the British national interest.

Lord Bridges of Headley: We will make a success out of leaving the European Union. We will protect and strengthen the national interest.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Departmental Responsibilities

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to transfer operational command and control of the EU units from all other departments to the Department for Exiting the European Union.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Department for Exiting the European Union will be made up of staff from various departments across Government, including from the UK’s Permanent Representation to the EU.

European Court of Justice

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to suspend immediately the implementation of all pending and future judgments of the European Court of Justice.

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to suspend immediately all processes for passing into UK law all pending and future EU Directives and Regulations.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The UK remains a member of the EU until our withdrawal is completed. We will exercise our rights and meet our obligations as a member of the EU accordingly.

Sovereignty: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to discuss with other member states the matter of holding a Border Poll in Northern Ireland as part of their negotiations about the UK leaving the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The UK Government will continue to abide by its commitments in the Belfast Agreement. It remains the case that the requirements in the Belfast Agreement for a border poll are not met. Our efforts need to be focused on getting the best deal possible for the UK in the negotiations with the EU.

EU Law

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the scale of the task required to separate domestic law from EU law.

Lord Bridges of Headley: In preparation for negotiations to leave the EU, the Government is undertaking work across a range of areas, including with its legal teams, to establish how best to deliver the government’s objectives.